Power operated tools such as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,610, normally incorporate a linear magazine which feeds nails or other type fasteners one at a time to a nail slide which then indexes the fastener to a position beneath the power actuated driver rod. Such magazines may be gravity or spring fed and normally project laterally a substantial distance from the lower end of the tool. In such magazines, it is also common to collate the fasteners by a strip of adhesive tape on one or both sides of the shank of the fastener. In such magazines jam ups are not uncommon both in the magazine and at the nail slide. Such tape collations are also unwieldly and require too many hands to load.
Because of the lateral projection of the magazine for the tool, the tool is in some instances quite unwieldly. The operator may actually have to step back from the tool or step over the magazine to obtain proper tool position. Also, in tight corners, such as in the nailing of studs, the tool may be difficult to position properly. Thus a more efficient and more compact magazine is to be highly desired.
Some attempts have been made to provide circular or more compact feed magazines in power actuated tools, one example being seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,824. Such magazines are normally fairly complex and expensive, as well as difficult to operate. For example, the noted patent illustrates a magazine having a complexity of parts including a special cam track through which a follower moves. The spring loaded follower is actuated by a follower member which is on the bottom of the magazine. Such follower member must be depressed upwardly to release the follower which then presses the strip of fasteners directly into the tool muzzle. Moreover, the tool does not incorporate a safety slide into which the fastener is first fed. This means the operator most conveniently may load the tool with it upside down or pointing directly at the user, particularly when employing long shank fasteners which may project considerably below the magazine. To do otherwise would be like reaching into a cactus patch from the bottom.
Accordingly there is a need in larger power operated tools such as nail drivers for a compact and simplified magazine which can quickly, conveniently, and safely be loaded.